Program
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Date & Time |
Details |
Day 1 Tuesday, February 19, 2019,
9.00 am – 10.00 am |
Registration
Venu: Conference Hall, F.T.k. Center for information Technology, JMI
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Inaugural Session:
10.00 am – 11.30 am
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Recitation from the Holy Quran:
Dr. Shahnawaz Faiyaz (Department of Urdu, Jamia Millia Islamia)
Welcome Remarks:
Prof. Taseem Meenai (Officeating Director, Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Jamia Millia Islaia)
Opening Remarks:
Prof. S.M. Sajid (Former Pro Vice Chancellor, jamia Millia Islamia)
Prof. M.M Verma (President, Interfaith Foundation, India)
Keynote Address: ‘The Paradoxes of the Indian Ploity’
Prof. Achin Vanaik (TNI Fellow, Retired Professorj of International Relations and Global Politics, University of Delhi)
Vote of Thanks:
Dr, inish Maryam (Assistant Professor, Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Jamia Millia Islamia) |
11.30 am – 11.45 am |
Tea Break |
Session I
11.45 am – 1.30 pm
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State and Democracy: The Institutional Setting
Chair: Prof. Rose Varghese (former Vice Chancellor, National University of Advanced Leagal Studies (NUALS), Kalamassery, Ernakulam; Former Dean, Faculty of Law, Jamia Millia Islamia)
State and Constitution: Dr. Seema Singh (Faculty of Law, University of Delhi)
Decentralization and Grassroots Democaarcy in India: Prof. Narender Kumar (Center for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University)
Civil Society and Democracy in India: Dr. Ajay Gudavarthy (Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University) |
1.30 pm – 2.30 pm |
Lunch Break |
Session II |
Democracy, Pluralism and Citizenship |
2.30 pm – 4.00 pm |
Chair: Prof. Sucheta Mahajan (Centre for Historical Studies, School of Socail Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University)
Understanding Citizenship as Practice: Prof. Anupama Roy(Center for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University)
Pluralism and Secularism, Prof. R.P. Singh (Center for philosophy, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru university)
Multicultural Polities and its governance: Dr. Amir Ali (Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University)
Religion, Politics and Democracy: Dr. M.D. Thomas (Founder Director, Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi) |
4.00 pm – 4.15 pm |
Tea Break |
Session III |
National Reimagining: Ideological Contestation in Indian Politics |
4.15 pm – 5.30 pm |
Chair: Prof. S.M.Sajid (former Pro Vice Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia)
The Idea of Nation and Nationhood: Prof. Purushottam Agrawal (Center for the Study of Developing Societies)
The Idea of Minority Right in Contemporary India: Prof. Apoorvanand (Department of Hindi, faculty of Arts, University of Delhi)
The Crisis of Indian Secularism: Prof. Rizwan Qauser (Department of History and Culture, Jamia Millia Islamia)
State and Identity Politics : Dr. M.N.Thakur (Centre of Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University) |
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Day 2 Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Session IV |
Venue : Mir Anis Hall, Dayare – Mir Taqi Mir, JMI
Social Cleavages, Identity and Politics
Chair: Justice Jaspal Singh (Former Judge, High Court of Delhi)
Caste and Politics: Maj. Gen. P.K. Sehgal Retd. (Defense Expert)
Gender and Politics : Dr. Mallarika Sinha Roy (Women’s Studies Programme, School of Social Scences, Jawaharlal Nehru University)
Religion and Politics : Dr. Mujibur Rehman (Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Jamia Millia Islamia) |
11.30 am – 11.45 am |
Team Break |
Session V
11.45 am – 1.30 pm |
Democracy and Development
Chair: Prof. Anand Kumar (President, Society for Communal Harmony)
Social Movement in India : Porf. Savyasaachi (Department. Of Sociology Jamia Millia Islamia) (TBC)
State, Globalization and Marginality : Dr. T.G Suresh (Centre for Political Studies School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University)
Gandhi in Contemporary Times : Shri S.N. Sahu (Former Joint Secretary, Rajya Sabha)
Sustainable Development: Dr. A.K. Merchant (General Secretary, Temple of Understating India Foudation ) |
1.30 pm – 2.30pm |
Lunch Break |
Session VI
2.30 pm – 4.00 pm |
Understanding Contemporary India: Critical Perspective
Chair: Dr. Vipul Mudgal (Director and Chief Executive, Common Cuse)
Media and Democracy : Smt. Arfa Khanum (Senior Editor, The Wire)
Social Media: from Social Exchange to Battleground: Prof. Biswajit Das (Director, Center for Culture, Media and Governance, Jamia Millia Islamia)
Role of Media Today: Prof. Vikram Dutt (Principal Academics, DME) |
4.00pm – 4.15pm |
Team Break |
Session VII |
Valedictory Session |
4.15 pm – 5.15 pm |
Chair: Prof. M.M. Verma (President, Interfaith Foundation, India)
Key Speaker: Prof. Hema Raghavan (Former Principal, Gargi College, University of Delhi)
Valedictory Address: Prof. J.S. Rajput (Former Director, NCERT) |
5.15 pm – 5.30 pm |
Rapporteur’s Report:
Dr. Habeebul Raiman V.M (Assistant Professor, Department of Soceal Work, Jamia Millia Islaia)
Vote of Thanks:
Dr.Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi (Associate Professor, Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Jamia Millia Islamia) |
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Concept Note
Pluralism, Identity-based Conflicts and Democracy in India
The maxim of ‘unity in diversity’ has been the guiding principle of the nation-building process in India, ever since independence. It has strengthened both the federal character of the state and also made pluralism, diversity and democracy as the basic traits of Indian nationhood. They are the very spirit of our multi-ethnic nation-state.
Although India is a highly complex and colorful mosaic, characterised by a vast cultural unity and heterogeneity, yet this mosaic is not at all a chaotic one. It has a discernible pattern, wherein the socio-cultural diversity draws its strength and sustenance from it’s composite culture and civilizational thrust.
Any diversity and heterogeneity is not conflict-producing per se, although it may carry in it a potential for conflicts. India too has sometimes witnessed unfortunate ethnic conflicts in the process of its historical evolution. The leadership of independent India was conscious of the reality that though India presents a picture of "unity in diversity," yet the possibility of conflicts between "unity” and “diversity" could not be ruled out.
Independent India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, said: Although, we the people of India are bound together by strong bonds of culture, common objectives, friendship and affection, yet there are inherent in India, separatist and disruptive tendencies, which have made India suffer in the past in preserving its unity. India need to fight communalism, provincialism, separatism, statism and casteism.
Within the given framework, there is a need to understand and analyse the capacity and flexibility of the Indian nation-state to accommodate the diverse cultural, religious and linguistic identities. The point of enquiry is as to how the identity-based Indian democratic process has successfully integrated the diverse socio-cultural, linguistic, and religious groups and communities into the Indian nationhood, while thwarting fissiparous tendencies.
To make the discussion tractable, let us first raise the key questions regarding relationship between identity, politics and democratisation. What we need to do is to draw a distinction between identity and identity politics, and also enquire into national, sub-national and group identities. How is India's national identity defined? What kinds of group identities, such as religious, lingual, tribal and caste-related, have been prominent in the national politics and how have they influenced the working of democracy in India. Let’s examine the challenges and prospects.
Prof. M M Verma
Gallery
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